Irrigation device.



L. B. DEMUTH.

IRRIGATION DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 9, 1914.

1,1 12,271, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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APPLICATION FILED APILQ, 1914.

1,1 12,271. Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES--PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER B. DEMUTH, or BEIDLEB, c1110.

IRRIGATION DEVICE.

- practically automatic nature.

Among the objects of the invention, therefore, is to provide a watersupply or main pipe with connections from it to a distributing nozzlepipe extending along above the surface of the earth to be irrigated anydesired distance, said pipe line or nozzle pipe being provided withperforations for spraying the water laterally from the vertical plane ofthe pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor operated by theflow of water through or from the main pipe, connections between themotor and the nozzle pipe being provided whereby the nozzle pipe may becaused to oscillate aro nd its axis for the purpose of changing 51cdirection of the spray. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide means inconnection with the power connections above referred to whereby theextent of oscillation and also the speed of oscillation of the nozzlepipe may be varied or controlled accordingto the various conditionsto'be provided for, such as variations in force of the water and theamount of water to be supplied to the earth.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will hereinafter bemore fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forminga part of this specification in which like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 isa side elevation of that portion of the main water pipe having associated with-it the operation mechanism for the spraying pipe, thespraying pipe being in section on the line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is aplan view corresponding to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on theline 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44: ofFig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail View indieating one means for supporting thesprayrng pipe, such as may be used at polnts remote from the mam pipe;Fig. 6 is another.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 29, 1914. .Applicationfiled April 9, 1914. Serial No. 830,606.

form of supporting means for the spraying pipe; Fig. 7 isa modificationof the ratchet mechanism for connection to the spraying pipe; Fig. 8 isa detail View indicating the manner of so connecting two independentspraying pipes in alinement as to provide 7 for oscillation of either ofthem independently ofthe other or both together, if desired; and Fig. 9is a detail referred to below.

The several parts of this device may be made of any suitable materials,and the relative sizes and'proportions, as well as the general design ofthe mechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without departingfrom the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth andspecifically claimed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I show at 10 a water mainwhich may convey water in any desired direction for delivery to thespraying .pipes 11. By way of illustration of one arrangement of pipes,I

show an elbow 12 leading from the end of the main 10 and deliveringwater therefrom into and through aconnecting pipe or main 10 which isconnected by means of a T coupling 13, the pipes 11 being preferablyswiveled in said for independent oscillation. As above premised, each ofthe pipes 11 is provided along one side with any suitable number or sizeof spraying holes 11 radially formed through the pipe. Each of the pipes11 also is provided with a cut-off valve 14 for controlling the waterpassing into and through the same.

At-15 I show a wheel journaled at 16 transversely in the elbow 12 and.having on the end of the shaft a pinion 17 The paddle wheel 15 isadapted, therefore, to rotate substantially freely around the axis of ashaft 16 under the action of the water passing through the main 10toward the spraying pipes.

Adjacent the paddle wheelthe main 10 is provided with a flow regulator18, the same comprising a substantially, hollow cylindrical plug securedin the main 10 or the coupling 10 connected thereto. Said regulator isprovided with a vertical tapered space 18 extending upwardlytherethrough for directing the current 0 water against one side of thepaddle wheel. A wing 19 is pivoted on a horizontal pivot 20 adjacent.the lower end of the plug and extends upwardly insaid tapered opening.At 21 I 1 bearing against one side of the wing 19.

By turning the screw in I reduce the passage remaining between thewingand the opposite sideof'the opening 18 and thereby I reduce the flow ofwater but increase the driving action thereof upon the paddle wheel.

The power developed from the rotation of the paddle wheel and its shaft16 may be utilized to control the direction of delivery of the waterfrom thesprayingpipes by any suitable mechanism; As an illustration ofmeans which I have found in practice to be suitable, I provide a' gear22 meshing with .the pinion 17 and driven therefrom at a. comparativelyslow speed. Connected to one of the pipes 11 is a peculiar-form ofratchet wheel or member shown in the sev eral views as comprising two orfour sets of ratchet teeth, one series being arranged in an oppositedirection from the series next adjacent. One form of this member isshown at 23 in Figs. 1 and 2, and having two series of ratchet teethextending through substantially a quarter of a circle. This wheel ormember is clamped to the pipe 11 by'means of a set screw 24. Assuggested in Fig. 8, the pipe'll opposite the T 13 has clamped to it anangularly formed arm 25 as by means of a set screw 26, said armextending horizontally parallel to the nozzle pipes, and is connectedwith the member 23. When both of the set screws 24 and 26 are tightened,an oscillatory movement imparted to the member 23 will causesimultaneous oscillation of both of the pipes 11. If, however either ofthe set screws be loosened, the plpe adjacent thereto will be allowed toremain stationary while the other will continue to oscillate insynchronism with the movements of the member 23. The cut-ofi' valves 14will, of course, be manipulated according to the intention of theoperator with regard to the distribution of water through either of thepipes.

Any suitable connecting means may be employed between the gear 22 andthe oscillating member 23 whereby rotation imparted to the gear 22 maycause comparatively slow oscillatory movement of the nozzle,- pipes.Since the speed of the paddle wheel 15 is comparatively high, foradjustment of thenozzle pipes around their axis may be comparativelyslow I prefer to use means suchas shown in Figs. 1 and 2, includingintermediate ratchet wheels 27 and 28 which may be of similar form andjournaled upon a frame'29 which also may support the driving gear 22.The gear 22 is provided with adouble crank 30 upon which are pivoted apair of pawls 31 and 32 having hooks engaging alternately with the teeth27 of the ratchet wheel 2". The relation between the throw of the cranks30 and the length of the teeth 27 may be varied according to the dcsireof the operator or builder of the machine, but, as indicated, onecomplete rotation of the wheel 22 will cause each of the pawls 31 and 32to rotate the ratchet wheel 27 through an extent of about one tooth. Theratchet wheel 27 likewise is provided with a double crank 30 havingpawls 31 and 32 similar to those above described and having a similaraction upon the ratchet wheel 28. At 33 I provide for the wheel 28 anadjustable wrist pin to one end of which is pivoted a single pawl 34. Byadjustment of the wrist pin 33 along locking screws 35, I am able tovary the radial throw of the pivot 36 to which the pawl 34 is connected.The pivot connection just referred to is sufficiently loose to permitthe pawl 34: to engage with either of the series of teeth 23 or 23*,mean being provided of any suitable nature for deflecting the pawllaterally from one series to the other at any desired time so as to varythe extent of angular rotation of the nozzle pipes. As shown in Fig. 9,I prefer to make the bottoms of the teeth just referred to concave incross section, whereby the pawl 34 will glide by gravity from one to theother in the same series without danger of being deflected underordinary conditions to the other series. When, however, the end of theseries is reached or it is desired to change the direction ofoscillation of the nozzle pipes, I apply a shoe 37 opposite the lasttooth, said shoe being provided with a flange or rib serving to causethe pawl to be deflected laterally to the opposite series ofteeth. Ashoe of similar character at the opposite end of the other series willhave the effect to return the pawl to the first series again. Theseshoes may be of any suitable construction and are adapted to be set asby means of a set screw 37 at any place desired.

Under some conditions it may be desired to increase the relative speedof the nozzle pipes with respect to the paddle wheel as, for instance,when the flow of water is such as to provide for a slow speed of thepaddle wheel and hence I may dispense with one or both of theintermediate ratchet wheels 27 and 28, and the pawls 31 and 32 mayeither operate from the wheel 22 upon the ratchet wheel 28 or it may beso re-arranged as to operate directly upon a pipe member 23. As shown inFig. 7, this member may have four series of ratchet teeth and the twoseries thereof having the teeth arranged in the same direction may beacted upon in alternation but in the same direction by the pawls 31 and32. Similar guide shoes 37 may be employed in this form of the inventionto deflect the pawls laterally as above. described.

adapted to rest'within the The nozzle pipes will be understood to beadapted to be made of considerable length, perhaps a thousand feet, andhence means must be provided to support them for limited rotation with aminimum amount of friction. As shown, for instance, in Fig. 5, the pipesmay be supported upon fixed standards or posts 38 and held from rollingfrom the tops thereof by means of pins 39 arranged on opposite sides ofthe pipe. Where it is possible to employ overhead supports, I. prefer touse that form of support shown in Fig. 6 which includes a link 40suspended froma fixed overhead support 41 and pivoted upon'the lower endof the link 40 is an arc-shaped rigid bearing member 42. This member 42is supported by a yoke 43 from the link 40, the point of connectionbetween the link and the yoke constituting the center of curvature ofthe bearing surface thereof. The pipe 11 is yoke 43 as ingravity will bethe link 40.

dicated and by the action of held substantially beneath Upon rotation ofthe pipe 11 through a limited angle, it will cause the member 43 to rollbeneath it by rolling instead of sliding friction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Let- .ters Patent 1. In a device of the character set forth, thecombination with a water main and a plurality of horizontal sprayingpipes arranged in alinement with each other and adapted to receive waterfrom said main, of means to control the delivery of water through saidspraying pipes, power means set in operation by the flow of waterthrough the main, and connections between the power means and said pipeswhereby either of said pipes may rotate while the other may remaininactive.

2. In an irrigating device, the combination of a water main, adistributing nozzle communicating therewith and adapted to deliver watertherefrom, an actuating member secured to said spraying nozzle foroscillation thereof around a horizontal axis, said actuating member ofratchet teeth arranged thereon parallel to each other but extending inopposite directions, a rotary power wheel, a pawl pivoted to saidpower-wheel and adapted to cooperate with either of said series ofratchet teeth, and means to cause the pawl to be deflected from oneseries to the other for reversing the rotation of the distributingnozzle automatically.

3. In an irrigating device, the combination of a water main, ahorizontal distributing pipe communicating with said main and adapted todeliver water therefrom, an actuator comprising an arc-shaped membersecured to the distributing pipe and comprising a plurality of series ofratchet teeth, the teeth of one series being reverse to those of theseries adjacent thereto, a rotary power wheel, and reciprocating meansactuated from said power wheel and cooperating with sai actuator foroscillation of the distributing pipe.

In testimony whereof I have Zgned my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUTHER B. DFR'FUTH.

Witnesses:

ELMA M. PATRICK, JAMEs G. PATRICK.

having two series

